The Voice of the Black Community
Local
| Push for reform grows as NC workers' challenges linger |
| Monday, April 12, 2021 |
| RALEIGH – It's estimated more than 280,000 North Carolinians remain unemployed from jobs lost during the pandemic, and many more have stopped looking for work. Critics say the state's unemployment insurance system isn't designed to handle the demand. Proposed legislation would raise the maximum amount of benefits from $300 to $500 per week, and |
| Hardest Hit: Unheard Voices of the Pandemic |
| Monday, April 5, 2021 |
| Three months into the pandemic, Shelly’s (last name withheld) landlord called to say he wouldn’t accept partial payments anymore. If she couldn’t pay off her back rent in full, he would start eviction proceedings. “Save your money,” he said. “Expect a letter from my lawyer in the mail.” Shelly clutched the phone, |
| Hunger soars in NC in the wake of the pandemic |
| Monday, March 29, 2021 |
| A crew of workers recently parceled flour, bags of broccoli, bottled water, bread, and other essentials into boxes, as vehicles lined up in the parking lot of a Durham apartment complex. The drivers were waiting for boxes of food that would help sustain their families for a few more days. La Semilla, a new United Methodist congregation in Durham, has |
| DHA addresses rental assistance, eviction, renovation |
| Tuesday, March 23, 2021 |
| DURHAM – Durham Housing Authority officials say they have put measures in place to help residents avoid evictions, make timely repairs, and improve overall livability. They also plan to hire additional staff, including a housing stability specialist who will work directly with residents who are behind on paying their rent, said chief executive officer |
| Ex-judge Beasley to run for U.S. Senate |
| Sunday, March 21, 2021 |
| RALEIGH — Coming off a narrow election defeat in 2020, North Carolina’s first Black woman to serve as chief justice on the state Supreme Court will soon enter the 2022 U.S. Senate race, two advisers familiar with her deliberations said. Democrat Cheri Beasley, who lost her chief justice election bid by just 401 votes out of nearly 5.4 million |
| NC public health departments called overworked, underfunded |
| Thursday, March 18, 2021 |
| OXFORD – North Carolina has spent fewer and fewer dollars on public health over the past decade, and local health officials say inconsistent funding has led to reduced staff and resources, which likely worsened the fallout from the pandemic. Data from Kaiser Health News show spending for the state's 85 local health departments dipped by more than 27% |
| Thousands of NC children could be lifted out of poverty |
| Wednesday, March 17, 2021 |
| The economic stimulus bill President Joe Biden signed last week includes provisions that will move millions of children out of poverty and will begin making direct payments to families by the middle of this year. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that an expanded tax credit included in the legislation will lift 137,000 North Carolina |
| Unsung Heroes: Bettina Pope |
| Wednesday, March 17, 2021 |
| WAKE FOREST – Bettina Pope, an English teacher at Wake Forest High School, is a leader who is also a proper representation of Black women in the Triangle. She was born and raised in Rich Square, a small town in eastern North Carolina. “During my youth, the population was approximately 1,500,” said Pope. Her parents thought it important to |
